Hell I may as well play along
HT: Leg Iron
CONGRATULATIONS BERNARD
Bernard Cribbins was given an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list.
Not only was he brilliant in Doctor Who but he is essentially part of my childhood, be it Jackanory or the Wombles.
Well done that man!
Not only was he brilliant in Doctor Who but he is essentially part of my childhood, be it Jackanory or the Wombles.
Well done that man!
GAIMAN'S DOCTOR
Neil Gaiman on WhoSay
I didn't know this
One of the callouts from Doctor Who fans has been why the swimming pool in the Tardis wasn't shown in The Doctor's Wife?
It wasn't budgetary reasons, or stinginess by the producers
Karen Gillan can't swim.
Neil Gaiman:
Making television - and especially making Doctor Who, where you have to imagine a new world (in my case a new universe) with every episode - is always a negotiation between dream and reality. (That was the same email in which I learned that we weren't going to have the scene in the Tardis Swimming Pool because Karen Gillan couldn't swim
Also, about the erasing of Tennant's control room:
Of course it exists. The TARDIS keeps it archived. House deleted it, but I have no doubt that, once they were in a place where that could happen, the TARDIS undeleted it, tidied it up and put it somewhere out of the way, along with the other things she keeps close to her chest.
CALVIN N HOBBES
OK Since I've been slack I have been wondering round the blogs that I follow, catching up on this stormy afternoon and I found this wonderful tribute to Calvin and Hobbes by Tom Fowler on Comic Twart - a bunch of unseemingly talented gits that I ooze jealousy at their skills every time I check them out! ; )
Bowery Beasts- Heavy You
Not liking pop music meant that everyone in the group had differing opinions on what was great, and a few collective favourites. As the new kid on the block I was given a heap of music almost daily and quizzed about it twenty four hours later... If I didn't like the right bands I was ridiculed and mocked. This pressure made me hate music a bit as I was being pushed and pulled in every direction and not left alone to figure it out. It was only after resisting them that I found my feet and I can really appreciate music and really love it. I wish they would have left me alone to start with...
BUT!
On the other hand now that I have my own tastes and opinions I wish I could get those days back. Conversations about bands could last days DAYS and with my new found confidence in what I like and what is good it would be nice to argue with someone about it.
I had this yearning not that long ago after locating in my music library some un-reviewed brilliance. Bowery Beasts was a bit of a surprise for me, not only because I didn't know they were there but because it is like a shining two dollar coin on the footpath of music.
Heavy You is the Bowery Beasts debut EP and I hope there is more to come. This LA band plays really good rock 'n roll. I was quite surprised because whenever I heard the phrase “rock 'n roll” I was transported to some distant childhood memory of my dad's music... But now, I am thrown into the modern era that holds the smooth, sexy sounds that the genre is known for.
Its not just the guitar riffs that catch me, it is the lyrics, vocals, drums the whole set up makes you want to listen to more. The five songs in Heavy You just aren't enough.
I don't have a favourite song this album, which is rare for me, because I think they are all awesome.
It opens with “He Was Your First Tattoo” and instantly reminds me a little of Them Crooked Vultures- has more rock than roll. Team this legendary sound with lyrics like-
“He was your first tattoo,
Never seen eyes so true
The was the first you knew
Never met a girl like you”
And you have a winner!
“White Diamond Babe” definitely pulls together the silky rock sound to create something really special. It is worth noting that when you are singing along to this music (as one does) you not only sing the lyrics you sing the riffs too...
“Today I saw my angel smile, (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
It made me want to try. (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
Today I saw my angel cry (duh duh duh dummm dummm dummm)
I could see you waiting right there, out on the sand, under the sun.
Twisting her hair, I could see her.”
I was really happy cruising around in my modern day rock 'n roll feeling, then “Young Rockers” took me back to my childhood and took Heavy You up another notch, which I thought was impossible. I think the change in sound comes because this song has more haze around it.
“Amulet” is completely different to any of the other songs, starting off with acoustic sounds and slowly building towards a peak of velvety riffs. Beautiful.
“Rock and Roll Queen” is the neat package at the end of the EP. Tying together all of the sounds of Heavy You, being sweet and having a quick line like-
“I want to roll a Rolling Stone”
My parents live 1300km (808 miles) away from me and I held the phone up to the speaker for 20 minutes because I thought this band was that great. They did too! Bowery Beasts bridges generation gaps with their smooth, beautiful sound. Heavy You is definitely an EP to get and they are a band to watch.
--Koala
Buy here mp3: Heavy You
Lady GaGa and Patti Labelle Perform Together; GaGa Forgets Her Clothes!!
OH NO.
Can you say... LEGENDARY...
...and not in a good way.
(S/n: I'm sure they sounded nice, though... Patti got MEAN vocals!!)
Pic: Google
Great Defunct Bands: The Devil and the Sea
From Austin "By way of Louisiana, motherfucker" Texas, The Devil and the Sea were potentially a Great Band. They broke up sometime in 2009.
A self-described "ghettotech/ healing and easy-listening/ metal" sludge act, there were ominous writings for some time on their myspace page ("...is deader than a door nail."), and when I emailed Chad from their label Acerbic Noise Development in August of last year, he unfortunately confirmed the unseemly death.
"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" was their original name. They shortened it for copyright violation reasons.
Their first official full length LP, Heart vs Spine (originally released 1/29/08) was mastered by none other than Sanford Parker, and sounds like a Southern version of Yob, with some Sunn O))) worship going on in the background.
It's as cool as it sounds.
...and it sounds like mighty men, warriors in a longboat, shouting bravely and happily and gamely over the waves of Charybdis, a comparison perhaps not surprising because their of their original name...which was used in the same context as Scylla and company....
Criticism is not nay-saying, good versus bad, disjunctive categories: it's a method, ideally developed/ divined by the writer, given to you, the reader, to re-interpret something based on new perceptions, i.e., "this is why I liked it, this is how I see this band/artist: here's why you might also choose to perceive them this way...."
Good music "criticism" is allowing your perceptions to be bent, just enough to alter their trajectory and maybe put you in line with the music in question.
So allow me to point you at the Truth in vinyl:
Heart vs Spine sadistically out-waits you, it's aggressively patient... it refuses chord changes, long after you've forgotten that chords do that... after your descendants have calcified....
It's an oily, blackened, Bourbon County Stout of a sound--
Track one, "Batwing," its initial riff a combination of open chord and dissonant open notes....
"My Soul is My Abacus," (an instrumental all the way up to 4:30... the mutation of an ugly cancerous riff begins at 5:14, growing and pulsing and swelling into morbid riffosity) intros with definitely greasy bass, and vocals radio-ed in from the 1940s on a Bakelite tabletop radio... which totally works...
"Heart vs Spine" is 14 minutes, a huge part of which is one chord, played as an octave (A flat to A flat-- craaaazy detuned, babs), ride cymbal and distant howl of the probably- tortured... dig that sudden stop at 4:39 to remind you we're not a force of nature, jack, we're actually just three guys rocking the fuck out-- and we can stop, on a dime, whenever we want....At around ten minutes we start, oh, so subtly... slowing... grinding down... like the entropy of a doomed evolutionary line....
Overall, it's swinging heavily, rustily lurching sludge metal with a hint of Robert Johnson satanic blues... with ambient and industrial's space and fatness... and sludge and industrial's repetitiveness... it's nearly what you'd expect from sludge, yet as well contains those other elements....
Is it ambient that grooves enough to be sludge...?
Are they on some sort of heaviness continuum? Has TDATS merged through some forbidden door between genres...? Is that why they're so badass? Is that why we hear them as being heavy in the first place? Is heaviness really just "badassness" in audible form?
I'm a goddamned genius!
In 2006 they released a demo called...MMVI. It's responsible for their getting signed, and in and of itself is pretty cool. It also contains a slightly different version of "Monolith," but otherwise the tracks are distinct from Heart vs. Spine.
And get the t-shirt-- it's wicked soft and well-fitting and looks sinister (it really is, it's one of my favorites; this is the first time I've ever mentioned a shirt in a review)-- help out Acerbic Noise Development-- they were cool to me via email with absolutely no reason to be. Even Decibel's review of MMVI mentions the shirt... (I can't find the link; you'll have to trust me.)
--Horn
Buy here: Heart vs Spine
buy here mp3: Heart Vs Spine
TDATS myspace http://www.myspace.com/devilandthesea
Acerbic Noise Development: http://www.acerbicnoise.com/store/clothing/
underwire bikini long robes Nic took fourth place and walked away with a cash prize of 83
underwire bikini long robesImage57 gifCatalogue Number 70 Object Name Group of Three Candle Extinguishers Description A The Monk is bearded and wears a hood and cape and long flowing robes In his left hand he holds a book and from his left side hangs a cross B Elizabethmd121 jpgWMF Jewel Tray Art nouveau maiden in long flowing robes Although there is no WMF mark it is listed in the
Crumbling Ghost - S/T
Claiming influence as much from Martin Carthy and Pentangle as from Sleep and Electric Wizard it would be all too easy to read this and dismiss them as a folk tinged doom outfit. Nothing could be further from the truth as Crumbling Ghosts music also owes as much to old school prog rock, indie shoegaze and lush post rock as it does to fiddles and riffs!!! This London based 4 piece have created an album that is rich in dynamics and innovation and may stand as one of the best of the year.
Opening track “The Collector” manages to blend supersized guitar riffs with jaunty Tull flavoured electric folk, flip flopping between the two seamlessly but is probably the track that maintains the band’s heavier side consistently throughout. It is on the next track, an arrangement by the band of “Omie Wise” that the band don their Arran sweaters and stick their fingers in their ears to get their folk on. Building from it’s understated opening that could have come straight from some early Fairport Convention albums, the track gradually grows as layers of instrumentation find their way into the mix…guitars pile on guitars and riffs pile on riff yet the folk core of the song remains intact through to the conclusion.
“Aggro Pronto” is the first of many instrumentals on the album and once again allows the band to release their inner Tull, pairing it with a progressive post rock vibe that wouldn’t be out of place among some of Pelican’s less heavy moments. Spacey and airy it may not be as immediately captivating as the previous two tracks but it does display that there is so much more to the Ghost’s bow than big riffs and a couple of Bert Jansch albums. Another instrumental, “The Stumbling Host”, kicks off in very similar style with a light and melodic guitar figure before things take a much darker hue when the distortion kicks in and the tempo drops. Expansive yet dense it is possible to see some of the band’s professed love of The Melvins shining through here as they explore some oppressive yet melodic grind before throwing in some psychedelic Sleep-esque stoner rocking goodness for good measure. The instrumental format does give the band full reign to display their undeniable musical ability at this point.
“Daytrip to Bungay” sees the band donning their doublets and hose and indulging in some whimsical psychedelic medieval folk…like wondering acid fried troubadours stumbling upon Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest hideout with a bag of weed and some sort of primeval electric generator. I have no idea where Bungay is but sounds like a fun place!!! The next track, “Blasted Heath” begins in familiar territory as those cheeky guitars pull another twinkling folk riff out of their bag of ferrets. However, just as you may feel inclined to dance a merry jig, Crumbling Ghost pull the rug from under you and bastardise the melody over a mammoth doom riff, perhaps displaying their self confessed Electric Wizard side. It never reaches the monumental depths of despair as the Wizard but it is a rare moment of darkness in an album so far given over to putting smiles on the faces. Fear not though as the band soon find their stash and kick things up a gear in a spaced out, Hawkwind sized rush to the finish. What this track does display is Crumbling Ghost’s ability to transition seamlessly between styles without ever coming across as forced or contrived.
After so many instrumental tracks it is nice to hear a human voice once more on “Nobody Here”. Compared to the previous tracks this is a much more understated affair that largely eschews the folk influence in favour of downbeat, mournful balladry. Although a nice change of pace and mood on the album it is, for me, one of the weaker moments amongst a stellar set of tunes. “Sheriff’s Ride” goes some way to redress the balance, a brief medieval jig that evokes the images of Maypole dances, buxom serving wenches with trays of mead and ale and pinched buttocks a plenty!!!
Next up is a reworking of “Martin Carthy’s “Man of Burnham Town”, which in itself is built on an earlier traditional folk outing. Omitting the original’s dodgy tales of wife beating the lyrics have been reworked to preserve the innocent and in their place Crumbling Ghost have thrown in their amps and overdrive pedals as the song builds in layers from typical folk to a psyched out, riffed up climax. So it falls to the 10 minute plus epic “Battle of Barnet” to round off an album of diversity and invention by throwing a little of everything into the pot…folky airs give way to mighty riffs which it turn give way to mellow jazz and back again to monolithic doom and beyond without ever losing focus or sounding contrived.
And then the dust settles and it’s all over. Over the space of 50 minutes Crumbling Ghost have taken you from spring meadows alive with dancing fairies to the darkest Orc dungeons. They have quenched your thirst with flagons of ale and blown your mind with the finest hallucinogenics available to man then flayed the skin from your backs with a cat o’ nine tails. This is as rich an album as has been heard in the last forty years from a UK band, a quirky and quixotic ride through a broad and varied musical past. It would appear that prog is alive and well and doesn’t have to involve a million time changes and a thousand notes per second, it can beat with an emotional heart and throw melody in the path of musical wankery to trip it up. By rights this should be a big seller, and that my friends, is entirely down to you…I trust you will all do the right thing?
--Ollie
Buy here: Crumbling Ghost
Buy here mp3: Crumbling Ghost
RIHANNA vs. SELITA EBANKS: Who Wore The Dress Better?
This is a HOTT and SEXY dress by Carlos Miele, worn by Selita Ebanks and Rihanna.
But there's a comparison we must discuss so...
Who looks better in the dress? While some may favor Selita or Rihanna (Selita looks exceptionally well), I'm going to have to split the award right down the middle because these two beauties cancel each other out in their own way.
For one, check out Rihanna's vibrant and wavy red hair that contrasts with the color and 'detail' of the dress. Also check out Selita's sleek cut that blends well with the color/detail of the dress.
Now I'm asking you again, who wore the dress better?
Pic: YBF
Summer on the Wrist: NIXON Military Watches
I, The Only Jaiden, love watches.
So, it's absolutely fitting for me to show you these Nixon military watches above. The cotton and canvas straps are good for the summer to reduce or prevent "sweaty wrists." The watches go for approximately $250.
You can find similar but far cheaper watches in Army/Navy surplus stores (quality won't be the same, though.)
Pic: Selectism
Conny Ochs - Raw Love Songs
“I’m doing my best boss.”
“Your best? This is what you call your best? I send you out over a month ago to find me the next big thing, and you fail to locate one bankable artist. You call yourself a talent scout?”
“Mr. Im-Basil, I don’t know what you mean. I have found several high quality singers and songwriters recently. Haven’t you received any of the music samples I’ve sent you?”
“Of course I have. The employees in the mail room actually know how to do their job. Unfortunately, that is not something I can say about you.”
“But the samples…”
“Rubbish, the lot of them!”
“Rubbish? You can’t be serious sir?”
“Look Penfold. I want you to listen to me very closely. Son, I’ve worked in the music industry since before you were born. Why, I started in this business around the time that disco was king!”
“But the artists I…”
“Don’t interrupt me, son! As I was saying, I’ve been in this business a long time. I’ve seen the ups and the downs. I’ve seen formats come, and I’ve seen formats go. Do you know what I’ve learned in all of that time Penfold?”
“No Mr. Im-Basil.”
“I’ve learned how to spot a winner. Winners, without exception, all share common traits. One; they are physically attractive. Two; they sound very similar to someone who is already successful and thus will be easily palatable to the listening public. And three; most importantly they are young, naïve, or desperate enough to go along with any and all instructions from me…the record company.”
“I’m sure you’re correct sir. But what about Conny Ochs? I really liked his music.”
“Yes Penfold. I’m sure you did. Trouble is…you appear to be the only one.”
“How do you know that sir?”
“It’s easy son. We sent Conny Ochs’ album, Raw Love Songs, out to our market research company for a battery of tests.”
“Tests, sir?”
“Yes. We rely on our market research more and more to let us know what song or artist will become a hit, and which won’t.”
“How did Conny Ochs fare?”
“I won’t lie to spare your feelings Penfold. He failed the tests. First, we asked a hundred males, ages 15 to 21, whether they would buy an album entitled Raw Love Songs. Five out of the hundred said they might. Most of them said titles like that were for girls. Next we asked a hundred females, ages 14 to 19, whether or not they believed a German guy could conceivably win American Idol. A whopping two out of the hundred thought that that was possible, but their votes were discounted when it was discovered they were wearing lederhosen. Finally we asked two hundred people, males and females of various ages, what they thought of Mr. Ochs’ song “Good House”. They listened while waiting in line for Starbucks drinks. By the time they received their orders and exited the line, most people could not remember anything about the song. Those that did could only form responses such as, “Yeah, it was okay”. The bottom line here Penfold is that I asked you to find me the next Justin Bieber, and instead you offer me the next **************.”
“Who?”
“Exactly. You’re fired. And take your music samples with you.”
“Fine! I will! And don’t worry Mr. Im-Basil. I know exactly who will appreciate Conny Ochs and his music.”
Conny Ochs is a German singer/songwriter with talent to spare. While he is a member of the rock ‘n roll band The Baby Universal, Raw Love Songs marks his first official solo release. And it is indeed a solo release. The vast majority of the album is simply the man, his voice, and his guitar pumping out ultra-catchy melodies that stick in your head like a high grade epoxy, or carry you away like an heir loomed magic carpet. Yes there are occasions when those basic elements are accompanied by some sound effect or additional instrument, but the spotlight never wavers from the star of the show. There is significant beauty in this simplicity.
If there is anyone out there concerned that the lack of musical contributors might lead to songs that mirror one another, rest assured. There is plenty of variety on offer here. Not only do the songs that make up this album run the gamut of emotions, they also differ compositionally as well. We’re talking varied running lengths, tempos, dynamics, time signatures…the works. Trust me. The listener can easily discern one song from another. This is one of the great strengths of Raw Love Songs. The greatest strength of the album however, is Conny Ochs himself.
This young man’s voice is extraordinary. If you can, ignore the lyrics that he is singing for a moment. Think of his vocals solely as the second instrument playing a duet with the guitar. The point of this exercise is to comprehend just how emotive the vocals really are throughout the album. Words are unnecessary. The listener can easily understand the emotion Mr. Ochs is trying to convey simply by listening to his vocal tone. Sometimes it’s light and airy, and other times it’s urgent and foreboding. Another aspect I appreciate about the vocals is how interchangeable they are in my mind. What I mean to say is that while they work so very well in their present context, I can easily see them fronting a full band’s musical output. In my opinion, that’s a pretty special trait.
As you might have guessed, I don’t believe there is a weak song to be found on Raw Love Songs. My personal favorites are the soothing “Good House”, the rollicking “Angels and Demons”, and the tender “Waiting For The Monster”. The fact that there are seven more standouts to be discovered on this album is icing on the cake. Mmmmm…delectable cake. My fellow waveriders. If you are looking for some new, honest, and wholesome music, or if you just need a break from all that ultra-heavy metal out there look into Conny Ochs and his album Raw Love Songs. You won’t regret it. And if there are any metal heads out there who still question how good this album is, I have one last piece of information you might find interesting. Wino likes this guy’s tunes (Conny Ochs opened for Wino on his acoustic tour), and they are working together on new music to be put out in the future. Yep…thought that might convince you.
--Penfold
Buy here: Raw Love Songs
Buy here mp3: Raw Love Songs
KANYE WEST At 'Fashion Designers of America' Awards, Dressing 2 Impress...
Kanye West just never fails to impress me with his keen sense of style. This is a dressed-down look worn superbly. White blazer, white tee, washed blue jeans, black loafers by Stubbs & Wootten.
He nailed it. Simple. Only the colorful jewelry is a subtle but noticeable plus.
Pic: Google/ NecoleB***hie
GARCELLE BEAUVAIS On Cover of JET Magazine
Looks like people from the not-too-distant past are on the comeback. Remember 'Fancy' (Garcelle Beauvais) from the 'Jamie Foxx Show'?
Well, she's just as FANCY here on the cover of JET Magazine.
Whoever did Fancy's--err-- Garcelle's wardrobe and jewelry did a good job. The look resembles the edginess, the fearlessness, the liberation Garcelle displayed when she divorced her husband of 9 years for infidelity. But that's not all it is, when you're on the comeback, you gotta MAKE SURE PEOPLE OUT THERE KNOW THAT!!
Good look, Fancy.
Pic: NecoleB***hie
The 44s - Boogie Disease
I didn’t know what it was. My extremities moved uncontrollably. My ears rang. My eyes rolled back in their sockets and my head tilted upward. My shoulders bounced from side to side and I would mouth words but nothing would come out. I was sick and it was incurable.
I remember the day I caught this damn bug. I was sitting with three friends in a circle around an old turntable that could play 45 and 78’s in an old stucco house in downtown San Pedro, California. The turntable folded up into itself to form a handled lock case about the size of a hat box. Below the turntable was a built-in, treble heavy, blown 5 inch speaker from which the crackled sound emanated,
My grandfather had just given me his collection of old 45 and 78 singles he had acquired from the 1920’s through the early 1960’s. It was music I had never heard. It didn’t get airplay on the major commercial L.A. radio stations. I threw on one of the old 78’s - “Hootchie Coochie Man” performed by Muddy Waters and written by Willie Dixon. Suddenly, I had the illness.
When I first heard The 44s’ new release Boogie Disease I had a significant relapse and still have not recovered. Nor do I want to. This is a sickness with which I can happily live
The 44s are a Southern California blues band on the new independent Rip-Cat label. The band features a hot down and dirty blues singer and able guitarist, Johnny Main; a ripping blues harpist in Tex Nakamura; a dirty bump stand-up bass from Mike Turturro; and a very talented J. R. Lozano on drums. Blues guitarist extraordinaire Kid Ramos joins the band on four tracks to produce one of the hottest electric blues albums I have heard this year.
Boogie Disease contains nine tracks or, if you look at it another way, nine disease transmitters. Included among great original tunes by the band and Kid Ramos are inspired interpretations of blues classics - harmonica legend Lester Butler’s “So Low Down” and “Goin’ To The Church;” Willie Dixon’s “Take It Easy;” Howlin’ Wolf’s “Commit A Crime;” blues piano legend Willie Love’s “Automatic;” and mouth organ legend William Clarke’s lip-smacking masterpiece “Blowin’ Like Hell.”
If you don’t already have the Boogie Disease this release will give it to you. If you are a fan of the roots music of rock ‘n’ roll you will definitely want to get this one. Being sick has never meant feeling so good.
- Old School
buy here: Boogie Disease
RIHANNA Kicks Off LOUD Tour In Loud-Colored, Pleasantly Vibrant Clothes
RIHANNA is lookin' like a delicious lollipop with all the colors displayed in her concert.
Rihanna kicked off her tour in Baltimore, Maryland. Stay tuned for more pics...
Pic: Google
Justin Bieber's BOSS-LOOKING Zara Jacket At 2011 MTV Movie Awards
Well would you check that out?
The Beeb is becoming a fashion statement for many young boys. this is what I'm talking about... swag at THE TOP RUNG. It's always cool--and a can't-go-wrong--to wear a nice blazer with jeans when one chills with friends on a night on the town.
Just as long as for guys, it's a fitted blazer in which the sleeves can be rolled up or scrunched up. And for ladies, it's an oversized blazer with a contrasting color dress (preferably SHORT) underneath.
Justin Bieber was wearing a blue Zara plush blazer for only $80.
Good look, Justin.
Pic: upscaleHype
Music with a Mind – Featuring Riverside, Quicksand Dream, Sound&Shape, and (Damn) This Desert Air
Waveriders, recently some EP's have come in that just blew my mind. Or whatever it is that I call a mind. This is why we started the Ripple in the first place to spread the word on artists making music like this. All prog of sorts, each fills a different need in my music loving soul. Check em out.
Riverside – Memories in My Mind
Poland’s Riverside have been plying their trade for 10 years now, immersing themselves in gorgeous, atmospheric progressive rock full indebted to the Porcupine Tree-vein of creativity rather than the ELP-vein of pretension. In celebration of their 10 year anniversary and recent signing to The Laser’s Edge Records, Mariusz Duda and boys have uncorked this “mini” album that is really anything but. Not mini on length (at over 30 minutes spread over 3 songs) not mini in songwriting ideas, not mini in stellar musicianship and certainly not mini in atmosphere. Rarely ever escalating above a distant thunderous rumble, Riverside explore peaks and valleys of dense ethereal overtones and sinuous moods. Never rushed, each of these prog epics takes its time in exploring Floyd-ian keyboard progressions, serpentine guitar solos, crashing crescendos and emotionally moving lyrics sung in hushed vocals.
After the swirling keyboard intro, acoustic guitars bring us into the opening melody of “Goodbye Sweet Innocence,” echoing a distant familiarity with Iced Earth’s “I Died For You.” But whereas that song exploded in metallic fury, Riverside expand their power, bringing in bridging keyboard passages courtesy of Michał Łapaj, complex time keeping via Piotr Kozieradzki, and the spear-to-the-heart guitar of Piotr Grudziński. “Living in the Past” and “Forgotten Land” follow suit, mixing Floyd-ian space rock, jazzy inflections with muscular prog metal reaches, all bathed in one dripping wet melody after another. A true “mini” masterpiece of prog.
buy here: Memories in My Head (EP)
Quicksand Dream – Aelin – A Story
A rare and beautiful album. Listening to this, I just can’t help feel like I’m listening to something important. Epic, sure, but more than that. Quicksand Dream’s take on metal is stark, powerful, disturbing, and incisive. Not so much metal in the traditional sense of monster chords, power, and pain, but still heavy in tone and atmosphere. The closest reference I can toss out would be some of the better work of Sentenced, another band that didn’t do metal in the normal way, but crafted some works of ugly elegance just the same. Perhaps they sound like early Fates Warning or Candlemass, perhaps not.
Quicksand Dream is the brainchild of Patrick Backlund, who plays all the instruments, supported by Göran Jacobson on vocals (and guest keyboarder Henrik Flyman). A totally D.I.Y., effort, "Aelin..." is a concept album of magic and dreams, where the young sorcerer-to-be, Aelin, is thrown between the choices of following his heart and sail the oceans or follow the path destined by The Mighty One, to study sorcery under the supervision of the Old Sorcerer. Epic storytelling, that never stumbles under the weight of its concept. Limited to 500 copies. Not to miss.
buy here: Aelin - A Story About Destiny
Sound & Shape – Now Comes the Mystery EP
It's amazing to watch a band grow right before your eyes. To witness amazing leaps and gains in songcraft and dynamic. Sound & Shape is one such band. After the dynamite, complex The Love Electric Sound & Shape come racing back with an aEP burst of unrelenting, driving composition and stunning musicianship. Each song is a mini-epic, all glued together by undeniable melodies and phenomenal playing.
More straight ahead than The Love Electric, Sound & Shape have taken their inherent power, passion, and creativity and wrapped them in melodies infectious enough to eat holes into my brain. While the concept of employing more “straight ahead” structures may sound like Sound & Shape are playing it safe, trust me they’re not. Each song, particularly the frenetically complex “The Sacred and the Profane,” and the beefy “Bells at Twelve” marry intricate riffs, stop-start time changes, and walls of sound into soundbites of neo-prog perfection. Lush vocal harmonies and constant surprises make these four songs a true blessing for my iPod.
A band everyone should know about. A band few could imitate
buy here: Facebook
(Damn) This Desert Air – Distance Waits
A while back I raved like a drooling lunatic over The World Concave’s last album, Harbor. Soon thereafter, I received an email from one of the band members asking if I’d check out his other project, (Damn) This Desert Air. Of course I agreed, then immediately forgot about it. And there it sat. For an eternity.
When I finally rediscovered the file, I hesitated to play it. This World Concave was an artistic triumph of sublime beauty that took me eons to get “into.” I wasn’t really in the mood to listen that hard again. Then I hit the play button, and it all faded away.
Much more immediate than TWC, (Damn) This Desert Air is quite simply a fantastic modern prog EP. With moments raging from inspired splendor to chaotic aggression, DTDA mix it all into the prog pot, stir that baby up, and come up with a concoction sure to satisfy even the most discriminating palate. The gorgeous melodies I expected, as I did the intense playing and stellar musicianship. What I didn’t anticipate was how hard this EP rocks (at times) and how immediate the songwriting is. Forget the hard listen, songs like “Trembles” and “Your Atlantis” grab me by the cerebellum and pull my brain instantly into the music. Complex. Intricate. Dynamic. And beautiful. (Damn) This Desert Air is a keeper.
--Racer
buy here: Distance Waits
Riverside
Quicksand Dream
Sound & Shape (last album)
(Damn) This Desert Air
Poland’s Riverside have been plying their trade for 10 years now, immersing themselves in gorgeous, atmospheric progressive rock full indebted to the Porcupine Tree-vein of creativity rather than the ELP-vein of pretension. In celebration of their 10 year anniversary and recent signing to The Laser’s Edge Records, Mariusz Duda and boys have uncorked this “mini” album that is really anything but. Not mini on length (at over 30 minutes spread over 3 songs) not mini in songwriting ideas, not mini in stellar musicianship and certainly not mini in atmosphere. Rarely ever escalating above a distant thunderous rumble, Riverside explore peaks and valleys of dense ethereal overtones and sinuous moods. Never rushed, each of these prog epics takes its time in exploring Floyd-ian keyboard progressions, serpentine guitar solos, crashing crescendos and emotionally moving lyrics sung in hushed vocals.
After the swirling keyboard intro, acoustic guitars bring us into the opening melody of “Goodbye Sweet Innocence,” echoing a distant familiarity with Iced Earth’s “I Died For You.” But whereas that song exploded in metallic fury, Riverside expand their power, bringing in bridging keyboard passages courtesy of Michał Łapaj, complex time keeping via Piotr Kozieradzki, and the spear-to-the-heart guitar of Piotr Grudziński. “Living in the Past” and “Forgotten Land” follow suit, mixing Floyd-ian space rock, jazzy inflections with muscular prog metal reaches, all bathed in one dripping wet melody after another. A true “mini” masterpiece of prog.
buy here: Memories in My Head (EP)
A rare and beautiful album. Listening to this, I just can’t help feel like I’m listening to something important. Epic, sure, but more than that. Quicksand Dream’s take on metal is stark, powerful, disturbing, and incisive. Not so much metal in the traditional sense of monster chords, power, and pain, but still heavy in tone and atmosphere. The closest reference I can toss out would be some of the better work of Sentenced, another band that didn’t do metal in the normal way, but crafted some works of ugly elegance just the same. Perhaps they sound like early Fates Warning or Candlemass, perhaps not.
Quicksand Dream is the brainchild of Patrick Backlund, who plays all the instruments, supported by Göran Jacobson on vocals (and guest keyboarder Henrik Flyman). A totally D.I.Y., effort, "Aelin..." is a concept album of magic and dreams, where the young sorcerer-to-be, Aelin, is thrown between the choices of following his heart and sail the oceans or follow the path destined by The Mighty One, to study sorcery under the supervision of the Old Sorcerer. Epic storytelling, that never stumbles under the weight of its concept. Limited to 500 copies. Not to miss.
buy here: Aelin - A Story About Destiny
It's amazing to watch a band grow right before your eyes. To witness amazing leaps and gains in songcraft and dynamic. Sound & Shape is one such band. After the dynamite, complex The Love Electric Sound & Shape come racing back with an aEP burst of unrelenting, driving composition and stunning musicianship. Each song is a mini-epic, all glued together by undeniable melodies and phenomenal playing.
More straight ahead than The Love Electric, Sound & Shape have taken their inherent power, passion, and creativity and wrapped them in melodies infectious enough to eat holes into my brain. While the concept of employing more “straight ahead” structures may sound like Sound & Shape are playing it safe, trust me they’re not. Each song, particularly the frenetically complex “The Sacred and the Profane,” and the beefy “Bells at Twelve” marry intricate riffs, stop-start time changes, and walls of sound into soundbites of neo-prog perfection. Lush vocal harmonies and constant surprises make these four songs a true blessing for my iPod.
A band everyone should know about. A band few could imitate
buy here: Facebook
(Damn) This Desert Air – Distance Waits
A while back I raved like a drooling lunatic over The World Concave’s last album, Harbor. Soon thereafter, I received an email from one of the band members asking if I’d check out his other project, (Damn) This Desert Air. Of course I agreed, then immediately forgot about it. And there it sat. For an eternity.
When I finally rediscovered the file, I hesitated to play it. This World Concave was an artistic triumph of sublime beauty that took me eons to get “into.” I wasn’t really in the mood to listen that hard again. Then I hit the play button, and it all faded away.
Much more immediate than TWC, (Damn) This Desert Air is quite simply a fantastic modern prog EP. With moments raging from inspired splendor to chaotic aggression, DTDA mix it all into the prog pot, stir that baby up, and come up with a concoction sure to satisfy even the most discriminating palate. The gorgeous melodies I expected, as I did the intense playing and stellar musicianship. What I didn’t anticipate was how hard this EP rocks (at times) and how immediate the songwriting is. Forget the hard listen, songs like “Trembles” and “Your Atlantis” grab me by the cerebellum and pull my brain instantly into the music. Complex. Intricate. Dynamic. And beautiful. (Damn) This Desert Air is a keeper.
--Racer
buy here: Distance Waits
Riverside
Quicksand Dream
Sound & Shape (last album)
(Damn) This Desert Air
Death Wolf - S/T
Big, black, heavy, furry, and ugly. Loud, massive, beastly, foreboding. Devastating, gruesome, grizzly, and ominous. Words. All descriptors of a band called Death Wolf. All words that sum up in no small part the sonic brutality that makes up the band’s self titled album. Is it a debut? I don’t know. I don’t care. The album is easily one of the most intense metal listens I’ve had in awhile. That doesn’t mean that it’s the most musically interesting or compositionally exceptional records out there . . . simply fucking intense. Pure, unabashed and uncompromising heavy metal . . . arguably encompassing all of the characteristics a heavy metal record should have. Music that’s so heavy and discordant, so filled with testosterone, tension, and gusto that one must respect it in fear that it will overwhelm their souls.
Death Wolf were apparently once know as Devils Whorehouse (I know . . . cool name, huh?) and are manned by one of the dudes from Swedish Black Metallers Marduk . . . ultimately, none of that means much to me. Well . . . except the Devils Whorehouse thing. I’ve never listened to Marduk and only know them by reputation, but this much can be said for one not in the know . . . Death Wolf sounds nothing like Marduk. They incorporate these great elements of doom, and stoner, and sludge, and thrash, and speed , and balls-out, fuck-you metal. Combine the demonic crooning of Danzig and mix it with sheer heart attack of Motorhead and then the tonal weight of Neurosis and you get something sorta’ like Death Wolf. At times, Death Wolf remind me of fellow Swedish uncategorizable metallic rockers, Transport League. More rock than metal, but more metal than anything else. Y’know? Yeah. Me either.
Opening volley, “Circle of Abomination” is heaven wrapped up in a three minute metallic chestnut. Firing off with a high speed, up tempo tirade accompanied by a wall of distorted instrumental chaos and a vocal performance that has me thinking of Glenn Danzig hopped up on something darker and heavier than even the darkest moments of Samhain. Listen close enough to the rolling pattern of the drums and you’ll practically visualize a runaway locomotive barreling down the tracks. The utterly brilliant moment of this song is at the 1:40 mark when the bottom drops out this beast and the song chugs along at a dastardly and drastically reduced tempo. The little wah effect on the guitars, the chiming of the bell, the ominous vocal and instrumental tone . . . all weaved around each other to create that perfect amount of tension before fading into the crimson fog from whence this whole creature came from in the first place.
“The Other Hell”, heavy as hell and just as sinister, has me clutching my bedspread close to my throat with eyes wide open in terror. This track wavers back and forth between huge walls of dissonance to moments of sparseness, and once we get to these quieter passages, the vocal performance, like the icy fingers of death brushing softly across the skin, sends chills up the spine. Then is dissolves into waves of feedback and the howl of wolves, becoming the haunting and ominous “Morning Czar Shineth”. What a captivating nugget of sound! Again, sparse when it needs to be and creepy as all fuck when it is, then filled with more notes so heavy and oppressive . . . it’s a classic track that will, like the chorus suggests, will have you beg and beg for more. The bass tone is unreal. The vocal performance is otherworldly. The overall power of this song is the creaking of the gates of hell as the passage slowly opens and the smell of brimstone assails the nostrils. A sudden blast of heat and fire, and we’re reduced to a pile of ash.
“Sword and Flame” picks up the tempo once again. We’re not talking about blackened blastbeats in terms of speed, but a nice and steady, upbeat tempo with instruments chugging away to keep pace. I like that Death Wolf mix up the tempos throughout the album . . . I never get too stuck in one groove. One minute, droning at a slow groove, the next exploding within a fast paced fury. We get to go back to that slower groove on “Wolf’s Pallid Sister”, and we get to experience the closest thing to one of those massive thrash riffs that seem to move a mosh pit from one wall to the opposite. Heavy and throbbing, the groove on this track is dense, but executed with some deftness. Listen to some of the intricate licks these guys slip into the midst of this riff . . . that, my friends, is some tasty stuff! I also love the vocal performance, specifically at the chorus. Great dynamic shift at the midpoint, as well. Again . . . well executed to capture the most tension and intensity possible.
Death Wolf’s self-titled disc is one of those albums that on first listen I thought, ‘This rocks,’ but I wasn’t sure just how much. That first listen was definitely compelling, hell . . . compelling enough for me to want to listen again. And then, by listen number six hundred and sixty-six, it was all I could do to peel the headphones from my head (I’m sure some skin was removed along with the ‘phones)and stop listening to this thing. I mean . . . for as much as I’ve listened to this album and think it rocks, I know deep down in the darkest darkness of my now darkened soul that this thing rocks infinitely more than I think it does. I started this review off with a boatload of adjectives and descriptors of this album, and while they all suffice, you might want to quantify just how big, black, heavy, furry, and ugly . . . Loud, massive, beastly, foreboding . . . Devastating, gruesome, grizzly, and ominous this thing really is. I’d go as far as to say that if you apply a number to any of these words, you’ll need to multiply it . . . by a hundred . . . and then that still may not be enough. One cannot truly describe Death Wolf, one must experience that album, and then no amount of words will accurately depict what that experience was.
Hilary Duff's Hott and Mature Summer Look (A Good Template)
Check out Hilary Duff going shopping in her rather mature look. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but it's quite a mature look for someone so young. And it's PERFECTLY OK for young women to dress like this... as long as they don't make themselves look like their very own school teacher.
I can say that this is a HOTT and SAFE look for any girl who wants to be on their 'grown woman' status.
Also, check out Hilary's notable labels: A cream Chanel bag, Victoria Beckham's 'Audrey' sunglasses for $470, and a Hermes leather wallet for approximately $1,150.
Good look....
Pic: UpscaleHype
City and Colour - Little Hell
Canadian born Dallas Green is the master mind behind City and Colour. The name City and Colour comes from his own name: Dallas a city, and Green, a colour (color for the Americans). Most people know Dallas as the clean singer in alexisonfire but Dallas has been doing solo work and writing material as early as the age of 18. Little Hell is City and Colour's third release and second proper release in the United States. His debut album Sometimes was only released in Canada through Dine Alone Records in 2005 and re-released by Vagrant Records in the states in 2009, a year after his follow up album, Bring Me Your Love was released.
Little Hell starts off strong with the track, "We Found Each Other in the Dark". This opener sounds much like City and Colour's classic tracks. Full on acoustic guitars and minimal backing band. It has a very alt-country feel to it. The song it self seems to be about the act of getting married and staying together for ever and finding that true love.
The first single off Little Hell, "Fragile Bird" is by far my one of my favorite tracks on this album. I first had a listen to this song a few months back on a random fan made youtube video form one of City and Colour's Canadian tours. Instantly I fell in love with it despite the poor sound quality and granulated video. For me, City and Colour's music is not so much the music but the lyrical content in that music. He always seems to hit a cord with me. As if he knows what I am thinking or thoughts that I have had.
"When she sleeps there is a fever dream, yeah
It brings the night terrors to harm this fragile bird
She speaks in tongues, the words they come undone, yeah
Then with a wayward mind she struggles through the night
All that I can do, is hope she makes it through the night
Through the night
These cold nightmares they make her worse for wear
Lost in the dark, she's got a heavy heart
And when she wakes in her fragile state,
Well, she calls my name hoping that I keep her safe
All that I can do, is hope she makes it through
All that I can do, is hope she makes it through
Through the night
Through the night
Through the night
Through the night
All that I can do, is hope she makes it through
All that I can do, is hope she makes it through
Through the night"
"Northern Wind" is the 6th track on this album. Again, it is a song that I can personally relate to. It hits a cord with me that makes me kind of sad but it's worth it.
"You're the Northern Wind
Sending shivers down my spine
You're like fallen leaves
In an autumn night
You're the lullaby
Singing me to sleep
You are the other half
You're like the missing piece
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love
You don't know
What you do to me
You are all four seasons
Rolled into one
You're like the cold December snow
In the warm July sun
I'm the jet black sky
That's just before the rain
Like the mighty current
Pulling you under the waves
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love
You don't know
What you do to me
I'm the darkest hour
Just before the dawn
I'm slowly sinking
Into the slough of despond
Like an old guitar
Worn out and left behind
I have stories still to tell
Of the healing kind
Oh my love
Oh my love
Oh my love
If I could just find you tonight
If I could just find you tonight
Oh my love
Do do do "
The last track I want to touch on is the song, "Weightless". For older City and Colour fans, you may remember so of the lyrics from the song, "The Urgency". "The Urgency" was an un-released early track that many City and Colour fans got a hold of. The reworking of this song is pure bliss. It has the same heart felt pain that made "The Urgency" but feels like a totally different song.
"Come close,
Lay next to me
Come close,
Lay next to me
I need to tell you something important
Stay close,
Lay next to me
I need to feel important
Because it's your eyes I don't believe
And my heart, I know, you will deceive
Do you know the consequence that comes with such confidence?
Holding all the weight in my life
Now you turn and walk away from me
So what is this now, you ask of me?
What's makes your pain such an urgency?
Now I want out, so plain to see
Once again my dear, a new tragedy
Holding all the weight in my life
Now you turn and walk away from me
Holding all the weight in my life
Now you turn and walk away from me
Needing all the strength in my life
Now you turn and run away from me
Needing all the strength in my life
Now you turn and run away from me"
Dallas Green has been my favorite artist since around 2003. As much as I like the screaming vocals from George Pettit in alexisonfire, I always loved Dallas' clean vocals the best. I am always happy when I hear a new City and Colour song or an alexisonfire song, let alone a new album. With that said, Little Hell has now become one of my favorite City and Colour albums. The album has a different feel to the previous ones. It's a little less sad and the songs are a bit more catchy...but that's a good thing. Normally I dislike people liking bands that I feel like I discovered long ago and no one knew about. I can honestly say it is time for the World to know about City and Colour. No longer will I be selfish and keep them to myself. I expect them to blow up this year. This album makes me happy, this album makes me sad. It makes me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. I hope it makes you feel forgotten emotions as well.
Little Hell is set to release this Tuesday, June 7th. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.
-Cicatriz
Buy here: Little Hell + Limited Edition 7" (Amazon Exclusive Bundle)
buy here: Little Hell
www.cityandcolour.ca
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